At least 155 hostages were freed after armed rebels hijacked a train carrying over 400 passengers in Pakistan's restive Balochistan region on Tuesday. The rescued passengers - including 58 men, 31 women, and 15 children - were taken to Mach, a nearby town where a makeshift hospital has been set up. It is not clear how many hostages remained on board.
The Jaffar Express was intercepted by armed attackers in a tunnel in a remote area on its way from Quetta to Peshawar - a route that was made operational after a month-long suspension. The gunfight between the rebels of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Pakistani forces continued overnight, in which at least 27 rebels have been killed.
Here are the latest updates on Pakistan train hijack:
Pakistan launches 'full-scale' operation to rescue passengers
Pakistan forces launched a "full-scale" operation on Wednesday to rescue train passengers taken hostage by rebels in the mountainous southwest, with security sources saying 155 had been freed in the past 24 hours. More than 450 passengers were on board when militants captured the train at the entrance of a tunnel in a remote frontier district, with an unknown number of hostages still being held.
"Information suggests that some rebels have fled, taking an unknown number of hostages into the local mountainous areas," a security official in the area told AFP.
Dozens Freed, Hundreds Still Held Hostage As Rebels Hijack Train In Pak
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) which seeks independence for Balochistan from Pakistan in a statement said it took control of a train and kept over 180 passengers, most of them Pakistani soldiers, hostages. Several Pakistani military personnel were also killed, the BLA said.
The BLA gave 48 hours to the Pakistani government to release all Baloch political prisoners and "forcibly disappeared persons."
The Jaffar Express, with over 450 passengers on board in nine bogies, was on its way from Quetta in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired on, railway officials told news agency Reuters.
Over 150 Hostages Rescued From Hijacked Train In Pakistan, 27 Rebels Killed
Over 150 hostages have been freed after armed rebels hijacked a train carrying over 400 passengers in Pakistan's restive Balochistan region. At least 27 rebels have been killed in a firefight with the forces, suggest reports.
"It Was Terrifying": Freed Pakistan Train Hijack Hostage Recounts Horror
Hostages freed from a train siege in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday said they walked for hours through mountainous terrain to reach safety, forced to leave behind relatives from whom they were separated.
Rebels waging a war of independence against the Pakistani state set off explosions on the railway track in a remote area of Balochistan, forcing the train to a halt and taking more than 450 passengers hostage.
"I can't find the words to describe how we managed to escape. It was terrifying," Muhammad Bilal told AFP.
Pakistan train hijack: Pakistani soldiers secure Mach Railway Station
Pakistani soldiers secure Mach railway station after security forces freed some passengers following a security operation against rebels who ambushed the train in the remote mountainous area, in Mach, southwestern Balochistan province.
Pakistan train hijack: 155 hostages killed, 27 rebels killed
At least 155 hostages were freed after armed rebels hijacked a train carrying over 400 passengers in Pakistan's restive Balochistan region on Tuesday. The rescued passengers - including 58 men, 31 women, and 15 children - were taken to Mach, a nearby town where a makeshift hospital has been set up. It is not clear how many hostages remained on board.
